The Communicating Organization

A. Check Your Understanding

1. Discuss the role and importance of communication in the organization in terms of outcomes. Provide examples.

B. Exercises

2. In addition to the readings, use at least two resources to do research on the subject of horizontal or vertical communication. Pick the subject that interests you most. Determine a single application of the subject.

Write a thesis statement (an argument) that you will research. For example, your thesis statement might be, "Managers communicate downward to subordinates more frequently than they communicate upward to superiors." The results of your research will either support or reject your thesis. Produce a title based on your research results. If you found two reliable Internet articles that stated that managers tend to communicate upward more often than they communicate downward in a particular organization, your thesis would be rejected and your title could read, "Managers at XYZ Company communicate upward with greater frequency than downward." Write one paragraph containing your thesis statement, one paragraph containing a summary of your findings (cite your sources), and a one paragraph conclusion. List your references at the end. The entire paper should be no more than one page in length.

Remember, this is your opportunity to explore the skills needed to do research while applying what you have learned in this module.

C. Professional Development

3. What types of communication are most commonly used in your company? How effectively are these managed?

D. Issues to Consider

4. How much training or help is available within your organization to help you learn effective communication skills?

E. Discussion

5. What formal processes or procedures govern communication within your organization?
6. For example, is there a records management process that manages written communication?
7. What about oral communication?

Attachments

Solution Summary

By responding to the questions, this solution discusses aspects of the communicating organization and communication e.g. types used in an organization and how they are effectively used; training to learn communication skills, organizational processes that govern communication, written and oral communication, etc. It also discusses horizontal or vertical communication e.g. thesis, summary and conclusion. Supplemented with one article on communication direction.